PLEASANT POINT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20679, 18 March 1937, Page 4

PLEASANT POINT

ATHLETIC CLUB DIFFERENCES SMOOTHED OUT Mr E. D. Mcßae, president of the South Canterbury Athletic Sub-Centre attended a special meeting of the Pleasant Point Club on Tuesday evening for the purpose of endeavouring to clear up the misunderstandings that have existed for some time between these two organisations. Those present were Messrs H. F. Christie (president), J. Dossett, S. C. Gibb, W. O. Grant, F. E. Q. Malcolmson, R. Cunningham, A. Drake. H. Fort and the secretary (Mr Gordon Gliddon). Mr Christie, in introducing Mr Mcßae said that he hoped with the president of the Sub-Centre present an amiable settlement of the dispute would be effected. Mr Mcßae said there undoubtedly was some cause for concern, but he trusted that members of the Pleasant Point executive would ask him questions and he would endeavour to answer thme to the satisfaction of all concerned. The major point at issue seemed to be the exceedingly long delays that had occurred in getting reinstatement papers through and the correct filling in of these forms. The Canterbury Centre had notified the Timaru Sub-Centre that it would not recognise the Pleasant Point Club until its affiliation fee had been paid. The Sub-Centre had found to its cost the great difficulty of pushing these reinstatements through. There had been no delay in sending the applications forward to Canterbury and then to Wellington for consideration by the New Zealand Council, but it seemed impossible to obtain confirmation or otherwise of these applications in a period of a month or so. It appeared that the Council had regulations existing from which it was extremely unlikely to depart. If a man, once an amateur, had been a professional for a long period it was practically impossible to expect re-instatement.. The Sub-Centre would assist the Club as much as possible to get these men reinstated. Everything that had been done in connection with these matters had been done by the Sub-Centre in good faith. No doubt members were aware of the Sub-Centre's acrimonious dispute with the Canterbury Centre recently. He quoted a notification his organisation had received from the Canterbury Centre for the affiliation fees of the Temuka Club which had been in existence for two or three years. It was just before the Canterbury championships that this request had been received, and it would give the Club some idea of the bungling that had taken place and the SubCentre was most certainly not the responsible party. Mr Malcolmson said that some of the Pleasant Point Club’s members had until the formation of the present body, been dabbling in professionalism, and it was unfair if these men had to wait a considerable time to obtain reinstatement. Mr Mcßae said that the delay was certainly irksome but it was useless holding a gun at the New Zealand Council’s head. Mr Dossett: If these men cannot get their applications confirmed, it was possible that the club would become a cash club. Mr Malcolmson: I would be extremely sony to see that happen as I have always tried to foster the sport of amateur athletics in the local school. One member remarked that through the delays the club had almost languished and died. It was decided to forward the affiliation fee to the Sub-Centre immediately. Mr B. Sutherland wrote tendering his resignation owing to his having been transferred to Christchurch. His resignation was accepted with regret. The secretary was instructed to give trophies won during the year to competitors as they applied for them. A presentation evening is to be held in the Town Hall on April 6 when prizes will be officially presented. It was agreed to invite members or the Timaru Sub-Centre to be present at the function.